“Yes, I’d like that. I’m working Saturday, but...”

“How about Sunday? We could go ice-skating. Apparently there’s a pond on the other side of the Lea that’s frozen over.”

“Ice-skating...” That was novel. “I don’t have any skates...”

“I’ll come prepared.”

Olivia gazed at him; his eyes were warm and full of kindness, his smile wry, his hair flopping across his forehead. She didn’t care what Harriet had said. She liked him...and she definitely wanted to see him again, even if it meant making a fool of herself and falling flat on her back on the ice.

“I’m not a very good skater.”

“Neither am I. We’ll have to hold on to each other, to keep us both up.”

She liked the sound of that. She liked the sound of it all. “All right. I see my mum in the late morning but I could meet you after that.”

“Shall I pick you up from here?”

“All right. Thank you.” She handed him the box, his fingers sliding over hers as he took it. “Your cupcake, sir.”

“Many thanks, my lady.” He grinned and then stepped back, which gave her a little flicker of disappointment. So he wasn’t even going to try to kiss her. “I’ll see you Sunday.”

“Yes. Sunday.” He gave a mock salute and then left, the jingle bells on the door ringing merrily as he shut it behind him. Olivia let out a gusty sigh as she locked up and turned off the lights. She’d been hoping the evening would have ended a little differently, even if it had just been a kiss on the cheek. Still, she told herself as she headed upstairs, she had Sunday to look forward to.

Chapter Nine

“So how was it?”

Alice’s eyes were alight as she came into Tea on the Lea the next day, intending to buy six Nutella cupcakes for a dinner she and Henry were having. She’d barely got through the door, however, before blurting out her question.

Olivia raised her eyebrows, determined to play cool. “How was what?”

“Your date.” Alice dropped her voice to a theatrical whisper even though there was no one else in the shop; Evelyn Dearborn, a lovely old lady, had just had her morning tea and scone and had left as Alice came in, but she was mostly deaf anyway.

“I gather you’ve been talking to Harriet?”

“Yes, sorry.” Alice gave a guilty smile. “Should she not have said?”

“No, it’s fine.” Judging from Alice’s unbridled enthusiasm, Harriet hadn’t mentioned the so-called rumours about Simon, for which Olivia was grateful. “And the date was good. Really good. We’re seeing each other again on Sunday.”

“Oh, Olivia!” Alice clasped her hands together. “I’m so pleased. Is he nice?”

“He is,” Olivia said firmly. There was absolutely no doubt about that. Simon Blacklock was the nicest man she’d ever met. And she still wished he’d kissed her last night.